A $250,000 farewell for Troy schools chief

By PAUL NELSON Staff writer

Published
12:01 am EDT, Thursday, June 23, 2011

TROY -- Outgoing Superintendent Fadhilika Atiba-Weza will receive $250,000 from the city school district, which, despite protests from parents, had to close an elementary school to deal with fiscal problems.

Under the terms of the separation settlement, Atiba-Weza, whose final day on the job is June 30, will be paid $200,000 within 30 days of his departure from the K-12 district, which has 4,300 students.

Additionally, he will collect $3,900 for unused accumulated sick time and $46,054 in unused accumulated vacation time and coverage for most of the health coverage for him and his family once he retires.

The deal, which Atiba-Weza signed May 18, means both sides will avoid what could have been a protracted legal battle. Atiba-Weza was hired in July 2008.

In May, the Board of Education voted 6-2 to accept Atiba-Weza's resignation, citing disagreements with him over city school district operations.

At that time, the district released this statement: "Both parties recognize that with the many challenges yet to come, the school district's long-term interests may best be served by a change in the administrative leadership."

Officials released the agreement only after the Record newspaper of Troy filed a freedom of information request.

The schools chief, who according to school budget information earned $199,569 this year, did not return a call late Wednesday.

But he has previously said it was frustrating dealing with the board on issues such as redrawing the elementary schools attendance boundaries.

In March, the district voted 7-2 to shut School 12 in South Troy to save $1 million.

Last week, a Georgia newspaper reported that Atiba-Weza has been hired by the Bibb County School District.